China Packing List: What to Bring and What to Buy There (2026)

Packing for China is different from packing for Europe or Southeast Asia, and the difference tends to catch travellers off guard. The things you assume will be easy to buy — deodorant, sunscreen, a replacement charging cable — may not be available in the formulations or standards you are used to. Conversely, some items are cheaper and objectively better in China than anything you can buy at home.

The trick is knowing which is which before your suitcase leaves the house. Here is the breakdown by category, with a clear distinction between what you should pack before departure and what you should buy after arrival.

Documents

Bring from home

• Passport with at least six months of remaining validity. Check this now, not the night before your flight. China’s immigration system will reject you at check-in if your passport expires within six months of your departure date.
• Visa or visa-free eligibility documentation. If you are travelling under a visa-free transit policy, print the official policy page from the National Immigration Administration website. Airline check-in agents are not always familiar with the latest rules.
• Printed hotel confirmations and flight tickets. You may be asked for these at immigration. Digital copies are fine as a backup but do not rely on phone reception at the border.
• Passport photos and scans saved to your phone and a cloud service. You will need a scanned copy of your passport photo page for hotel check-ins and some train bookings.
• Screenshots of your hotel addresses written in Chinese characters. You will hand these to taxi drivers and Didi drivers multiple times a day. Keep one in your pocket, not buried in your bag.

Buy after arrival

Nothing in this category. Get your documents sorted before you leave.

Electronics

Bring from home

• An unlocked phone that supports eSIM. Your phone must be carrier-unlocked to accept a Chinese SIM or eSIM. Check with your carrier before departure. Most iPhones from the XS onward and recent Samsung and Pixel models support eSIM. Huawei devices generally do not.
• A CCC-certified power bank, 100Wh (27,000mAh) or under. This is the single most important packing change for 2026. China now strictly enforces the CCC (China Compulsory Certification) labelling requirement on power banks for domestic flights. If your power bank lacks the CCC logo, it will be confiscated at security. Anker, Xiaomi, and Baseus power banks sold in China carry the certification. Check yours before you pack it. It must go in your carry-on, not checked luggage.
• Charging cables. USB-C and Lightning, depending on your devices. Bring at least two of each. Cables disappear mysteriously when you travel.
• A universal travel adapter. China uses Type A and Type I sockets at 220V, 50Hz. Most modern laptop and phone chargers are dual-voltage (100-240V) and will work fine. Check the label on your charger. If it says “100-240V” you are good. If it says “110V” only, leave it at home.
• Noise-cancelling headphones. High-speed train journeys of four to six hours are common in China. Noise cancellation turns a loud, rattling train ride into a productive or restful few hours.
• An e-reader. Lightweight entertainment for transit. Your phone works too, but an e-reader saves battery and is easier on the eyes.

Buy after arrival

• A power bank if yours turned out not to be CCC-certified. Xiaomi and Anker models are widely available at electronics stores and online through Taobao.
• Charging cables. Cheap and plentiful. Every convenience store sells them.
• A portable fan. Essential for summer travel in Beijing, Shanghai, or any city south of the Yangtze from June through September. Convenience stores carry them for under 50 RMB ($7).
• A phone case and screen protector. Massive selection, very low prices. If you have an unusual phone model, buy your case at home.

Clothing

Bring from home

• One pair of genuinely comfortable walking shoes. You will log 15,000 to 20,000 steps per day in any Chinese city. Do not bring new shoes. Bring shoes you have already broken in.
• Layers. Chinese weather is extreme. Summer is brutally hot and humid. Winter is dry and bitter. Spring and autumn can swing fifteen degrees in a single day. A packable down vest or a merino wool layer takes up minimal space and can save a trip.
• A scarf or light wrap. Required for temple visits (shoulders and knees must be covered) and useful for air-conditioned restaurants and trains that crank the AC to arctic levels.
• A rain jacket or compact umbrella. Summer is monsoon season across much of China. A packable rain jacket beats an umbrella for hands-free use.
• One presentable outfit. For a nice dinner, a business meeting, or a hotel bar. Restaurants in China dress up more than their Western equivalents.

Buy after arrival

• Slippers. Most Chinese hotels provide disposable slippers, but if you prefer your own, they are everywhere for a few yuan.
• Sunglasses. Broad selection at low prices, though quality varies wildly.
• Pyjamas or loungewear. Very cheap and decent quality. Chinese cotton pyjamas are genuinely comfortable.

Toiletries and Personal Care

Bring from home

• Deodorant or antiperspirant. Western-style deodorant is surprisingly hard to find in China. Most Chinese deodorants are sprays or roll-ons with different formulations and lighter scents. Bring enough for your entire trip.
• Prescription medications in original packaging with the prescription label. Check whether your medication is legal in China. Some common Western drugs — particularly ADHD medications, strong painkillers, and certain antidepressants — are controlled substances in China and can get you into serious trouble.
• Contact lenses and enough solution for your trip. Your specific brand may not be available in China.
• A basic first-aid kit. Plasters, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers (ibuprofen or paracetamol), anti-diarrhoea medication, and rehydration salts.
• Tampons or menstrual products if you have strong brand preferences. Available in major cities but the selection is different.

Buy after arrival

• Sunscreen. Here is a rare case where China is objectively better. Japanese and Korean sunscreens — Biore, Anessa, Skin Aqua — are widely available in Chinese drugstores and are significantly better than most Western sunscreens. Lighter texture, better protection, lower price.
• Skincare products. Sheet masks, serums, moisturisers. China is a skincare paradise with prices that will make you weep for your local pharmacy.
• Wet wipes and tissues. Carry a small pack for public bathrooms (which frequently lack toilet paper). Available at every convenience store.
• Insect repellent. Available if needed, but the formulations differ from Western brands.
• Hand sanitiser. Every pharmacy and convenience store carries it.

Internet Preparedness

This is its own category because getting this wrong will affect every other aspect of your trip.

Do before you leave (non-negotiable)

• Install and test two VPNs on every device. See my Best VPNs for China guide.
• Purchase and install a Hong Kong-routed eSIM. See my eSIM vs Physical SIM comparison.
• Download offline maps of every city you plan to visit.
• Download offline Chinese language packs for DeepL and Google Translate.
• Save screenshots of key addresses in Chinese characters.

Do after arrival

• Buy a local SIM if you are staying longer than three weeks and need a Chinese phone number for food delivery, ride-hailing, and SMS verification.

What to Leave at Home

• Hair dryer. Every hotel in China provides one. They are often built into the bathroom wall.
• Towel. Hotels have towels. Hostels either provide them or you can buy one for a few yuan.
• More than two pairs of shoes. One walking shoe, one sandal or casual shoe. That is enough. Shoes are bulky and heavy.
• Printed guidebooks. Outdated before you leave the house. Use your phone.
• An electric kettle. Every hotel room in China has one, often accompanied by complimentary tea.
• Large-denomination cash. Small bills (50 and 100 RMB) are useful for the rare cash transaction, but China is overwhelmingly digital. ATMs are everywhere.
• Portable WiFi device rented from home. An eSIM is smaller, cheaper, and does not require picking up or returning hardware.

The 2026-Specific Gotchas

CCC Power Bank Enforcement

I have mentioned this twice already, and I will mention it a third time because it is catching travellers off guard more than any other rule. Your power bank must display the CCC logo. If it does not, it will be removed from your bag at domestic security. You can buy a compliant one in China, but it is easier to check yours before you leave.

Digital Arrival Card

China has replaced the paper arrival card with a digital system. You can fill it out online at the NIA website before you fly. The airport still has kiosks and paper forms, but pre-filling saves twenty minutes at the border.

Visa-Free Transit

As of 2026, citizens of 54 countries are eligible for visa-free transit of up to 10 days (144 hours) through major Chinese cities. Some nationalities also have bilateral visa-free agreements for up to 30 days. Check the National Immigration Administration website for your specific nationality. US, UK, and Canadian passport holders are still not eligible for the 30-day policy.

Seasonal Packing Quick Reference

| Season | Months | Temperature | Key Items | |---|---|---|---| | Spring | March-May | 10-25 C | Light layers, a jacket, comfortable walking shoes | | Summer | June-August | 25-40 C (humid) | Breathable fabrics, portable fan, sunscreen, rain jacket | | Autumn | September-November | 10-25 C | Layers, light jacket | | Winter | December-February | -10 to 10 C | Heavy coat, thermal layers, gloves, scarf |

Beijing summer at 35 C with 80% humidity is a physical experience. Shanghai winter at 5 C with damp cold is worse than the number suggests. Pack for the climate you are walking into, not the one you are leaving behind.

The Bottom Line

China is not a difficult destination to pack for, but it rewards attention to detail. The three things that trip travellers up most often: arriving without a working internet connection, wearing shoes that are not broken in, and carrying a power bank without the CCC label.

Pack light. Leave room in your suitcase for tea, skincare, and the things you will discover you want after you arrive. Focus your limited luggage space on the items that are genuinely hard to find in China — deodorant, prescription medication, comfortable footwear — and buy everything else there.